Milestones

Obituaries

• Maureen A. (Eakins) Bell, 53, of Brattleboro. Died suddenly at her home on April 10, 2024. Maureen was born on Feb. 4, 1971, to Francis and Patricia (Lawless) Eakins. She attended St. Michael's Catholic School and Brattleboro Union High School. Maureen worked at various jobs locally, most recently as a home health aide for Bayada. She held her clients close to her heart. She had just enrolled in a course to receive her LNA certification to be able to further assist her clients. Maureen's favorite season was summer. She loved going to the beach and camping. She had a passion for animals and was known to rescue quite a few. She enjoyed reading, puzzles, and flowers but, most of all, spending time with family, friends, and her pup, Riley. She was also a master of Eighties music trivia; play her one note and she could name that song. On July 18, 1994, she married Rodney W. Bell of Brattleboro, who survives. Maureen is also survived by her two children, Aeron (Grellia) and Sarah Bell; a sister, Cathy Eakins (Peter) of Brattleboro; and her brother, Mark Eakins (Jed) of Florida. Additionally, she is survived by her sisters- and brothers-in-law: Cindy Susse (Eric), Wendy Kendall, and Randy Bell (Shirley); and her very dear friend, Mary Wheeler, including the entire adopted Wheeler family. She was predeceased by her parents; her father and mother in-law, Howard and Ruth Bell; brother in-law, Fred Kendall; and her beloved Golden Retriever, Jake. Memorial information: There will be a graveside service and a Celebration of Life to follow in early summer (as this was her favorite season) at a date to be announced. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302.

• Robert E. "Red" Davidson Sr., 86, of East Hartford, Connecticut. Died on April 5, 2024, at Hartford Hospital. Born in Brattleboro on April 2, 1938, he was the son of the late Lyman and Marjorie (Hamilton) Davidson. He received his education in Brattleboro, and was a 1957 graduate of Brattleboro Union High School. Robert joined the Army in 1958 and served until 1964. In his leisure time, he enjoyed woodworking and his vegetable garden and flower beds. Among his love of the outdoors, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, and softball. Following his marriage to Catherine R. White on April 11, 1973, in Bellows Falls, the couple relocated to East Hartford, where they made their home. Robert worked for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft for nearly 22 years, retiring Aug, 31, 1994. He was predeceased by his loving wife Kay, his daughter Bonnie Stansberry and his three sisters Kathy Williams, Marian Akley, and Velma Merrifield; and brother Lyman Davidson. Robert leaves two children: Robert Jr. and wife Lisa (Elliott) and Kelly Davidson, whom he loved dearly. He also leaves his brother, David Sr., and his wife Juanita; grandchildren Sara-Ann, Kristy, and Shayne, and great-grandchildren Ian, Christopher, Jacob, Antonio, and Sasha Rae. He also leaves brother-in-law and sister-in-law Howard and Mary Crown of Vermont; many nieces, nephews and cousins, and beloved friends. Memorial information: A burial service will be held on Saturday, May 11, at noon, at Meeting House Hill Cemetery in Brattleboro.

• Rosetta Morse Weber, 39, of Waitsfield. Died April 11, 2024 from injuries sustained in a tragic vehicle collision in Moretown on on her way to work. Rosetta, known by friends and family as Zetty, lived a rich, rewarding - though far-too-short - life working to improve the lives of others. Zetty was born in 1985 in Brattleboro, and grew up with her brother, Skye, in the hills of Guilford, the daughter of Dale and Eric Morse, who had been part of the Packer's Corner neighborhood community. She graduated from Brattleboro Union High School in 2003 and earned a degree in geography and community and international Development at the University of Vermont. Very early in her life, Zetty demonstrated an inclination toward service to others and generosity. She developed her love of endurance sports as a member of the BUHS cross-country and track teams, and her appreciation of music through cello and recorder lessons at the Brattleboro Music School and her participation in the BUHS chorus and the annual musicals. While at BUHS, she helped to create the student-run organization CLEA (Child Labor Education & Action), through which she helped organize a service trip to Guatemala. The focus on child labor continued at UVM and a semester in Ecuador, where she focused on child labor and child safety issues. A pivotal experience for Zetty was her time at the American Youth Foundation's Camp Merrowvista in Center Tuftonboro, New Hampshire, starting at age 12. She returned every year as a camper, then counselor, and eventually - her first job out of college - as program director. As a counselor, she led month-long backpacking, canoeing, and bicycling trips, including a bicycling circumnavigation of Nova Scotia. At Merrowvista and throughout her life, she lived the camp motto "My own self, at my very best, all the time." Following her work there, Zetty worked as an AmeriCorps Vista volunteer (and later as a board member) with the Burlington-based DREAM (Directing through Recreation, Education, Adventure, and Mentoring) Program, a nonprofit aimed at providing free programming for kids in low-income housing communities. Zetty then worked for the Chill Foundation, a Burlington-based organization foundedby Jake and Donna Carpenter, the founders of Burton Snowboards, to "inspire young people through boardsports and build a more equitable outdoor community." At the time of her death, Zetty was the vice president of global programs at Chill, whose CEO, Ben Clark, , described her as the "soul of Chill." He described her as "without a doubt, one of the best humans I have ever met in my 44 years." She was instrumental in growing Chill from a largely regional organization with a small staff when she joined the team in 2014, to a high-quality youth development organization with presence in 24 cities across 9 countries today. Zetty flourished in the out-of-doors, and traveled widely to enjoy outdoor sports activities and spend time with friends. At every step in life - whether in Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, Burlington, or Waitsfield, Zetty established lifelong friendships. She brought people together and made deep connections in every chapter of her life, both informally, as countless of her friends described at a gathering in Waitsfield following her death, and formally, as officiant of multiple weddings for dear friends and family. Zetty was an eternal optimist who always saw the good in people. And she had an infectious smile. For Zetty, there were two kinds of days: Golden Days, which were sunny, and Silver Days, which were rainy. And all of them were great. On Aug. 25, 2015, Zetty met Parker Weber and the two began a life of adventure together, splitting their time between Burlington and Jackson, Wyoming, big-mountain back-country skiing, surfing, mountain biking, and rock climbing from coast to coast. They were married in 2018 at Belden Hill in Guilford exactly three years from the day they met. In 2021 they welcomed their now 2½-year-old daughter, Bridger. Parker recently completed a beautiful home for them, lovingly built with his own hands and nestled into the foothills near the base of Mount Ellen, where they could walk to the base lodge of Sugarbush Ski Area. Zetty leaves her husband Parker and daughter Bridger of Waitsfield, her parents Dale and Eric Morse of Guilford, and her brother Skye Morse and wife Geneva and their sons Bennett and Emery of Guilford. To support Parker and Bridger in the years ahead, two GoFundMe campaigns have been created (on the GoFundMe website, search for "Zetty Weber"). Memorial information: A memorial service will be held at a later date on Belden Hill in Guilford.

• Dennis Adelbert "Denny" Peters, 89, of Marlboro. Died peacefully, with his loving family by his side, on April 16, 2024, in Brattleboro. A beloved figure in his family and community, he was born on Sept. 21, 1934, in Eden, Vermont. He was fiercely independent and fought to age gracefully. He was a longtime resident of Marlboro, and spent many winters in Florida. He mostly spent the last decade of his life residing in Dover and, most recently, as a resident of Vernon Hall. Dennis was known for his kind and loving nature, his strong work ethic, and his unwavering dedication to his family. He married his beloved Marion, whom he met at a penny auction, on Aug. 2, 1953, in Montgomery Center. As a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather, he touched the lives of many with his warmth and wisdom. His greatest pleasure in life was spending time with his family. Dennis worked as a manager at R.S. Roberts in Brattleboro for decades and continued on-call there while he started Denny's Auto Body Shop in Marlboro. His safety and reliability as a wrecker operator were something that local and state law enforcement people still talk about. Dennis loved working and, despite retiring, he continued to stay working as the maintenance man for his retirement community. He was even awarded "Maintenance Man of the Year" at Butterfield Commons. He loved square dancing, bluegrass festivals and his "old country music." Dennis loved spending time outside, both hunting and fishing. Dennis took pride in the brook trout that he would catch while fishing with his grandkids and great-grandkids. He was a devout Catholic and enjoyed church on Saturday evenings with his wife. His love of cars transcended throughout all generations, down to his youngest great-grandkids. He spent much of his retirement traveling with his wife and family in their motor home, spending much of their time in Zephyrhills, Florida, during the winter. His legacy of love and commitment will forever be cherished by those who knew him. Dennis leaves behind his beloved wife of 72 years, Marion; four children, Dennis Peters Jr. of Vernon, Deborah Wood and her husband, Donald, of Dummerston, Norman Peters and his wife, Linda, of Marlboro, and Edward Peters and his wife, Maria, of East Orlando, Florida; brother Robert Peters and his partner Sue of West Berkshire; and nine grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandson. He was predeceased by his parents, his sisters, Leah Bonnette and Flora Gilbeau, and two brothers, Clinton Peters Jr., and Artie Peters. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was conducted April 22 at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Brattleboro, followed by committal rites and burial in New Westminster Cemetery. Donations to Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.

• JoAnn Dorothy Smith, 62, died peacefully on April 8, 2024. Born on Sept. 8, 1961, she was the beloved mother of Jennifer (Mike Rosso) and Mikey Johnson and the devoted partner of David Coolbeth. JoAnn was the proud grandmother of Marissa, Alexis, Maya, Nick, and Nat. She is also survived by siblings Frank, Genevieve, Diane, Nancy, Danny, Jeanie, Claudia, Anthony, and Monika, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. JoAnn was kindhearted, strong, and independent. She had a great sense of humor and fashion. She loved spending time with her family, friends, and her cat Amber. Some of her favorite things to do were shopping, crafting, listening to Rod Stewart, working on puzzles, and treating herself to ice cream every day. She was a generous soul who loved spoiling family and friends with her handmade gifts. She never missed sending cards on birthdays, holidays, or special occasions. Her friends and family cherish the memories of the joys, love, and laughter she brought into everyone's lives. Memorial information: A memorial gathering was held at the Cremation Society of New Hampshire's Brattleboro location on April 22. To leave a message of condolence, visit csnh.com.

• Edward Michael Stack, 87, formerly of Bellows Falls. Died peacefully on April 4, 2024, at Hanover Terrace in Hanover, New Hampshire. He was born in Bellows Falls on Sept. 16, 1936, the son of Edward J. and Mary (Powers) Stack. Ed graduated from Bellows Falls High School in 1954, Burdett College in 1956, and then attended Suffolk University before entering the service. He served in the Army from 1958 to 1960. When he returned, he began his long career at the Wilder Dam working for New England Power Company. In his retirement, Edward loved to travel to Ireland, where he reconnected with his relatives and grew closer to his roots. Edward was a life member of Hartford Elks Lodge #1541, the Moose Club of Rutland, the Polish American Club of Bellows Falls, and a secret member of American Legion Post 37 in Bellows Falls. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Marilyn (Wasilewski) Stack of White River Junction; sons Edward Stack Jr. of Northfield, Vermont, and Gary Stack of East Albany, Vermont; stepchildren John Kapusta of South Carolina and Deborah Nylund of Enfield, New Hampshire; and five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Survivors also include his sister, Barbara Stack of North Walpole, New Hampshire; a brother, James Stack and his wife, Kay, of Walpole, New Hampshire; as well as several nieces and nephews. Memorial information: A service will be held at a later date at the convenience of the family. Condolences may be expressed in an online guestbook found at knightfuneralhomes.com.

This Milestones item was submitted to The Commons.